Barcelona locks up Smits for future

FC Barcelona put a piece in place for the future by signing forward Rolands Smits, last season's 7DAYS EuroCup Rising Star Trophy winner, until 2022 – and then immediately loaning him back for the upcoming 2017-18 season to the same team he has played for his whole pro career. Smits (2.08 meters, 22 years old) will return this season to Montakit Fuenlabrada, with whom he averaged 9.4 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 0.9 assists in 14 EuroCup games. He finished the season having made at least 1 three-pointer in 11 consecutive games. His shooting efficiency was impressive: 60.4% on two-point attempts and 48.8% on threes, the latter of which was seventh best in the competition. No other qualified EuroCup player shot above 60% on two-pointers and 45% on threes last season. Smits debuted as a pro with two Spanish League games for Fuenlabrada as a 17-year-old, becoming a full-time player at 19 before averaging 4.6 points per game the next season, 2015-16. Smits has been playing this month at EuroBasket for the Latvian national team.